


Finding Forgiveness

by Postal_Ninja



Series: Bound Together In Love [2]
Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Angst, Casual Sex, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Friends With Benefits, Revenge, Sex as Therapy, Strangers to Lovers, mentions of adultery, misogynistic language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:28:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26566576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Postal_Ninja/pseuds/Postal_Ninja
Summary: In Windhelm, a dejected Quintus mourns the end of his marriage to the Dragonborn, but finds himself unable to move on, his heart full of doubts. In Whiterun, Adrianne's fury threatens to overwhelm her, as she contemplates whether she can perhaps heal her pain through vengeance. Can the two of them come to find a measure of peace through a shared understanding?A companion piece to'What the Heart Wants', which explores an alternate ending to that story, in which Adrianne comes to rethink taking revenge on the Dragonborn thanks to meeting Quintus. Spoilers for 'What the Heart Wants', but minimal spoilers for Skyrim.
Relationships: Quintus Navale/Adrianne Avenicci
Series: Bound Together In Love [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1932193
Comments: 4
Kudos: 6





	1. Chapter 1

Quintus Navale opened his eyes and looked at the ceiling, briefly pondering just going back to sleep. Instead, he rose and dressed himself, then prepared to open The White Phial for the day.  
  
As he stood behind the counter waiting for any patrons who might come into the alchemy shop, he couldn't decide whether he wished for a busy day or not. On the one hand, the thought of having to put on a smile and be cheerful for a customer's benefit made his stomach turn, but at the same time, having someone, anyone, to talk to might just ease his loneliness. Well, maybe a little bit, at least.

A heavy sigh escaped him. One week. It had been seven mournful, desolate days since his wife, the Dragonborn, had left him. His former wife, he reminded himself. He held no hope of reconciliation; even were she willing, he knew that he could never forget her betrayal of him.

 _Talia_ , he thought wistfully, picturing her in his mind's eye. She had brought him such joy, albeit briefly; he had been so proud of his wife, the hero. He admitted to himself that when they had met, he had thought her well out of his league. Not only was she an admirable warrior, but a stunning beauty as well. He had immediately been attracted to her striking elven features, not to mention her kind and generous spirit. As he had come to know her, it hadn't taken long for him to be smitten.

Had he been so wrong about her? He hadn't known her for very long before he had proposed, but everything she did spoke to her selflessness and compassion. And yet, she had slept with another man while married to him, and ended their short-lived marriage to be with her lover. The thought brought a taste of bile to his throat, as it always did.

He was often tempted to think that maybe he was at fault, that if he had been a better husband, somehow, she wouldn't have left him. But he knew that wasn't the case. Talia had already been in love with this other man when she had married Quintus; she herself had admitted as much. It made him sick to think that she had gone ahead with the wedding anyway. He couldn't understand it.

He clenched his fists in frustration. These ruminations weren't getting him anywhere. Every day was the same; he tried to go back to living his life as it had been before, but his mind wouldn't let him forget his sorrow. Something needed to change.

An absurd thought made him laugh wryly. Perhaps this was how Talia had felt, he pondered, when she had made the ill-advised decision to marry him. The desperate need to end the pain, leading to drastic measures. He supposed he could seek out another woman to be his wife, only to break her heart in turn when she realized he didn't love her. And the cycle would continue from there, marriages ending and lives ruined. The Dragonborn's legacy. He scoffed as he shook his head.

He was suddenly brought out of his brooding by the door opening to reveal Helgird, the priestess of Arkay, who inquired about purchasing some of the herbs needed for burial rites at the Hall of the Dead. If he needed to make conversation with anyone today, he was glad it was her. With her directness and dark sense of humor, at least he didn't need to pretend to be cheerful. Her personality and profession rather suited his mood.

* * *

After locking the door to the White Phial at the end of the day, Quintus sat down on his bed with a sigh. Try as he might, he could not get thoughts of Talia out of his mind. There were too many unanswered questions in his heart for him to be able to move on.

He kept trying to reconcile Talia's explanation of her motivations with the fact that she had been so dishonest with him. Could he really believe anything that she had told him? Was any of it true, or all self-serving lies to try and salvage her reputation?

In a way, it felt easier to believe that she was secretly a terrible person, and that she hadn't cared about hurting him. But that didn't fit with what he knew about her. She had helped Master Nurelion, after all, despite the old man's regrettable temperament. If she hadn't cared about him achieving his life's ambition before his death, then why bother dealing with his acid tongue? Surely if she was out for a lavish reward, she would have found it more readily from someone else. His master hadn't made things easy for anyone.

And she had rushed off to aid in the defense of Whiterun when she had learned that the city was under threat of attack. He had admired her bravery, and she couldn't have faked the panicked worry that he had seen in her eyes when she had told him of it. Unless... could it be that her lover was from Whiterun? Was that the reason she had been so concerned?

Quintus pondered this, despite the fact that it felt akin to picking at a scab. He should just forget about it... but he had wondered about this mystery man who had stolen his wife away. His only clue had been a name; Adrianne Avenicci. The woman who had sent a letter warning him of Talia's adultery, and the man's wife.

By her name, she was clearly an Imperial. But he doubted she was in Cyrodiil if Talia had been with her husband recently. The Dragonborn had been in Skyrim for quite some time, he knew. He couldn't decide if it was a blessing or a curse that he could keep tabs on his erstwhile wife so easily; her exploits reached his ears whether he wanted to hear of them or not.

But if Talia's lover had been in Whiterun, then surely this Adrianne Avenicci would be as well? A thought began to form in his mind. If he couldn't trust Talia's version of events, maybe there was someone who would tell him the whole story. The same person who had revealed his wife's infidelity in the first place.

Rising, he began hurriedly packing provisions into his satchel. Tomorrow, he would set out for Whiterun, and answers.

* * *

Quintus made his way out of the Windhelm gates right after dawn. He hadn't gotten much sleep and had lain awake long before the sun began to rise, his mind full of tumultuous speculation. After a week spent in tortuous reflection, he was eager to finally _do_ something. Even if he didn't find this Avenicci woman in Whiterun, it was at least a place to start. Someone there might know who she was or where to find her.

It had occurred to him that he may inadvertently run into Talia there as well. It was a risk he was willing to take. Though he did not wish to see her again (a perverse part of him wondered in the back of his mind if that was true) he needed to learn the truth in order to move on. He would do his best to avoid her; likely anyone he spoke to would know whether the Dragonborn was in the city or not.

He made his way just passed the stables at the edge of the city until he spotted a horse-drawn carriage. Greeting the driver, Alfarinn, he handed him a small coin purse and requested the man take him to Whiterun. The carriage driver gladly accepted, inviting Quintus to climb into the back of the wagon and take a seat.

Quintus was relieved to see that he was the only passenger, as the last thing he wanted at the moment was to engage in idle small talk with strangers. Normally, he would enjoy partaking in conversation to pass the time, but heartbroken as he was it felt like a chore to put the effort into being friendly. Alfarinn did ask about what business he had in Whiterun, to which Quintus replied that it was of a personal nature and he preferred to keep it to himself. The driver seemed unfazed by this answer, and did not probe Quintus further, only offering commentary on the areas they traveled through as they went.

A few days later, the carriage finally pulled up to the Whiterun stables. Quintus had only visited the city briefly once before, when he had first come to Skyrim from Cyrodiil. He had passed through Whiterun on his way to Windhelm and had spent the night at a local inn. What had it been called... something about a horse? It had been a few years since then, and he couldn't recall. Perhaps he would stay there again on this visit. Truthfully, he hadn't given much thought to the particulars of his stay in the city; he had mostly been focused on what he hoped to accomplish by coming here. He would seek out Adrianne Avenicci, or else learn of her whereabouts. And then... who knows?

Thanking Alfarinn once more, he leaped from the side of the carriage and strode towards the city gate, his satchel on his shoulder and his stomach in knots.


	2. Chapter 2

_Clang, clang, clang_. The sound of Adrianne Avenicci's hammer rang through the streets of Whiterun as she stood at her forge pounding away at what would eventually become a breastplate. As the hammer met steel, she imagined that it was the Dragonborn's face that she was striking, and the thought gave her swings extra gusto.

 _Harlot. Sneak. Whore_ , she thought with each strike. She knew she was needlessly feeding her anger, but she couldn't help herself. Ever since she had caught that elf in her husband's arms, it was all she could think about. The Dragonborn had ruined her life, and then sauntered off with Ulfberth to live in happiness. It made Adrianne sick.

How was she supposed to move on knowing that the two of them were together somewhere? That the man who had been her husband for nearly a decade was now sharing his bed with a woman who had toyed with Adrianne's emotions? That Dragonbitch had kept a straight face and played along while the smith had poured her heart out to her, and agreed to help Adrianne when she knew full-well that she herself was at fault for Ulfberth's odd behavior.

That stung more than anything. The lies. The deceit. The fact that both of them had deliberately kept her in the dark when they had known how distraught she was. Adrianne had blamed herself for her husband's distress, convinced that he no longer trusted her, only to learn that he had been sneaking off to fornicate with their neighbor for the gods knew how long. She had regretted leaving him, had crawled back to him asking for forgiveness, and then had been humiliated by his duplicitous nature.

 _Ulfberth,_ she thought sadly, resting her hammer aside for a moment. They had been happy together for so long. On their wedding day, he had called her the light of his life. When had that changed? How did it come to be that there was room in his heart for another woman?

Logically, she knew that Ulfberth was as much to blame for her heartbreak as his mistress was. But Adrianne had to admit that she still harbored feelings for him. She could never forgive what he had done to her, but she found herself missing him nonetheless. His absence left a void in her life that she did not know how to fill. She often wondered if any of this would have happened had she not left him in the first place. If she hadn't been such a fool, she might still have a husband.

Then again... if the Dragonborn had already had her sights set on Ulfberth, perhaps it would only have been a matter of time until she had made her move. _Talia_... Adrianne thought acidly, allowing the Bosmer's name to imbue her with bitterness. She picked up her hammer again and resumed pounding the steel plate before her.

Adrianne despised her. _Clang._ Talia was responsible for her pain. _Clang._ The Dragonborn was a fraud. _Clang._ A lying, selfish, scheming bitch! _CLANG!_

Adrianne looked down at the misshapen crack she had just put into the steel. She sighed heavily and tossed the piece of metal aside. _Dammit_ , she thought; she'd been too distracted to keep an eye on the piece's temperature while she continued to work. She'd allowed it to cool too much, and now the breastplate was ruined. At least she could salvage the steel by melting it down into a new ingot, so it wouldn't be a complete waste.

She blinked back the sudden beginning of tears. She might be able to salvage a ruined breastplate, but could she do the same with her life? Every day her rage and pain consumed her, and she had no idea how to make it stop. She felt utterly lost. Even her desire to help run the city had largely fizzled, leaving her with little motivation to accomplish anything beyond mere existence. She lifted a hand to her face, rubbing at her eyes and forehead. The sun was setting; she should call it a day and try to find something to distract herself with. Anything.

"Excuse me, madam, but I wonder if I could ask for your help," she suddenly heard a man's voice politely inquire.

Adrianne turned to see who had spoken. She had never seen this young Imperial in the city before, but by his clothing he was a merchant. Wide ginger sideburns covered his cheeks, and he looked at her with kind eyes.

"Certainly," she answered, shaking herself out of her dark thoughts. "Are you in need of a weapon, perhaps?" she asked.

"No," he replied. "No, I'm only looking for someone. I'm not from Whiterun so I didn't know who to ask."

"I see," she told him. "Well, I'll help if I can. Who are you looking for?"

He let out a sigh of relief, seemingly thankful that she wanted to lend her aid. "A woman by the name of Adrianne Avenicci," he said, his voice hopeful.

The blacksmith blinked in surprise. Who was this stranger, that he was looking for her?

She crossed her arms before answering. "Well, you've found her. I'm Adrianne," she stated.

His eyes widened. "You are?" he remarked, bewildered. "That was easy..." he muttered to himself.

"And you are...?" she drawled in response. Who in the world _was_ he?

"Oh! Of course," he began, shaking his head. Removing his hat with one hand, he introduced himself. "Quintus Navale. You wrote to me in Windhelm some time ago."

Adrianne's jaw dropped open. Talia's husband? What was he doing here? When she had penned that letter to him, she had only been thinking of how she might inflict a wound of her own on the woman who had wronged her. She hadn't expected to ever meet this man in person. What must he think of her?

She felt herself blushing, unsure how to respond. "I see..." she began. "I hope you didn't think my writing to you... unseemly. I only thought you should know the truth."

"Not to worry," he replied, dropping his gaze to the ground. "It was hard to hear... but in the end, I was better off knowing."

The smith sighed in relief. At least the man wasn't here for a confrontation. But that left the question, still, of what he wanted.

"So, ah... Quintus. You came all the way from Windhelm to find me. How can I be of service?"

He sighed and met her gaze. "Things have been... difficult... for me, since my marriage ended..." he quietly explained. "I still have so many lingering questions, and I feel as if I need to answer them, so that I can get some closure. And perhaps find some peace."

She nodded sadly. "That I can understand. So..." she ventured, "you sought me out hoping that I could help you find the answers you seek?"

"Exactly," he confirmed with a tight smile. "I hope it's not too much to ask. I know that things must have been equally hard for you, considering the circumstances."

"You're right about that," she answered wryly. "But talking about it with someone who understands may well help," she admitted.

She motioned for him to follow as she went to open the door to the shop. "Please, come in," she offered.

He graciously accepted her invitation and stepped inside. Once she had shut the door behind her, Adrianne led him back to the kitchen and offered him a drink and a seat at her table. Quintus thanked her, and once she had two cups and a jug of wine in hand, she sat and joined him.

A moment of awkwardness lingered, as they both waited for the other to speak. "How-" Adrianne began just as Quintus opened his mouth with an "I-", and they both cut off with a chuckle. The tension seemed to dissipate in that moment, and Quintus motioned for her to go first.

"I was going to ask how you knew I was in Whiterun?" she inquired, curious.

"I didn't. Not really," he admitted, taking a sip of his wine. "It was just a lucky guess I suppose."

"But I didn't leave any indication of where I was writing from in my letter," she recalled. "I could have been anywhere in Skyrim." There must have been more to it than that, otherwise this man must have Stendarr's blessing with such luck.

"Well," he confessed, "I suppose I did reason it out. I didn't know for sure, mind you, but..." he sighed before continuing, "I knew that Talia had been worried when she left to defend Whiterun from the Stormcloaks. I wondered if that might have meant that... that her lover... was in the city. And if he was here, then you, as his wife, likely would be as well."

"Ah... well, you were right on that count," Adrianne conceded.

"She's... she's not here too, is she?" Quintus asked hesitantly.

"Her? No," Adrianne shook her head emphatically. "No, they left. Both of them," she let out a sigh. "I made it abundantly clear that they should stay out of my sight, for good."

Quintus let out his breath in relief. "That's good to know. I've heard her version of events, of course... but I suppose I'm not sure if I can trust that she's told me the whole truth..."

Adrianne stopped herself from barking out a laugh. "I don't blame you," she said instead. "She lied to me too. I trust her about as far as I could throw her. Perhaps not even that far."

She saw his mouth tighten at her words, as if he didn't like hearing her speak ill of his former wife. Perhaps he felt as she did about Ulfberth. It was difficult to put aside one's feelings about someone they had loved. She would try not to be as harsh when discussing Talia.

"So then..." he began, "are you any clearer on what happened than I am?"

"I'm not sure," she admitted with a shake of her head. "What did she tell you?"

He sighed heavily. "She claimed that she was already in love with him when I met her. It seems that she only married me because she was trying to move on and forget about him." Dejected, he downed half of his remaining wine, then set the cup back on the table, his gaze lingering upon it.

Adrianne frowned. So, the Dragonbitch had carried a torch for her husband for some time. Did that mean that she'd been the one to seduce him after all? But then again, she'd apparently been trying to forget about Ulfberth, or so she had told Quintus.

"I don't know," she began. "All I'm sure of is when I first noticed Ulfberth acting strangely."

The blood seemed to drain from Quintus' face as she spoke. "Ulfberth..." he quietly repeated, his hand clenching into a fist. "So...she left me for a Nord..."

Adrianne saw his conflicted expression and felt pity for the man. She reached over and covered his hand with hers.

"Does it matter?" she asked him gently. "Would it have been any easier had her lover been an Imperial? Or a Bosmer, or a Khajiit, for that matter?"

He sighed and met her eyes. "I suppose you're right," he admitted. "It seemed a bit easier when I didn't know anything about him. He was just this-" he gestured widely with his free hand, "-entity. Like he wasn't real. Like she didn't leave me for another, actual man."

She squeezed his hand again. "I understand," she told him. "But put yourself in my position. My husband didn't just betray me for 'some woman'... he chose our _neighbor_ , someone who I had trusted and considered a friend. Who just happened to be the godsforsaken _Dragonborn!_ " She failed to keep her bitterness entirely out of her voice by the end of that statement, but Quintus only regarded her with a sympathetic half-smile.

"You're right," he conceded. "It wouldn't have mattered who he was. And I'm sorry. For what she put you through."

Adrianne returned his smile, patting his hand one last time before pulling hers away to sip at her wine.

"So, you were saying, about... about Ulfberth..." he ventured, his eyes once again on the tabletop.

She sighed. She might as well tell him everything, if it would help.

"Well, there was another complication in my situation," she began. "Some time ago, Ulfberth and I were briefly separated. I left him, in truth..." she admitted quietly.

Quintus tilted his head at her, appearing surprised at this revelation, but he said nothing.

"It was a mistake," she continued, "and I soon realized that. So, I went back to him, and everything seemed back to normal. At first."

She took a deep breath before speaking again, gathering her courage to put her pain into words. "Eventually, I noticed that he was different, somehow. There was clearly something on his mind, and yet, he wouldn't tell me. No matter how much I asked, he insisted that nothing was wrong."

She steeled herself before continuing. "I now suspect that something was already going on between them by then. That was why he wouldn't tell me. He couldn't, not without confessing everything."

Quintus regarded her sympathetically, then dared to ask, "So how did you find out?"

Adrianne let out a rush of breath at the image that formed in her mind. Ulfberth, with that harlot upon his knee, the two of them wrapped up in one another and sharing a passionate kiss. She felt the bile rise up in her throat.

"I walked in on them," she admitted bitterly. "I saw them kissing, and I knew. I knew that they had been lying to me, that she had been the cause of his strange behavior this whole time."

She shook her head, her mouth drawn in a tight line as tears began forming at the corners of her eyes. She grasped her wine cup and drained it in one swig, hoping to wash away the lump of anguish that was forming in her throat. She hurriedly refilled her cup from the jug, wanting something to keep her hands occupied with while she tried to pull herself together.

Quintus sighed at this admission. "I'm sorry to hear that. It must have been heartbreaking for you."

"It was..." she admitted in a breathy whisper. Taking a deep breath, she wiped her eyes and continued.

"Ulfberth tried to explain, after that. But I was so _angry._ Truthfully, I only remember bits and pieces of what he said." She sighed. "Unfortunately, I may not be any clearer on how things happened than you are."

"I see..." he reflected, then hesitantly ventured, "If I might ask, what did he say to you? That you remember?"

She nodded, then told him, "He said that he was in love with both of us. And that he had intended to tell me the truth. That they had _both_ been planning on telling me."

She shook her head disbelievingly, then went on. "But they had had plenty of opportunity to confess by then. They had been lying to my face about what was going on. Maybe that was just another self-serving lie, so that I wouldn't suspect their true intentions."

She brought her wine to her lips again, taking a long pull before setting the cup down. She felt the warm tickling of the liquid as it flowed down into her belly, and reminded herself to slow down, lest she become too fuzzy-headed.

Quintus had his cup in hand as well, seeming to ponder what she had just told him. "I can understand your doubts," he admitted. "After I confronted Talia about the letter, she said that she had come home to me in order to break things off." His face twisted and he took a long swallow of his wine. "I asked her then... whether she would have told me about her infidelity, if I hadn't already known." His eyes lingered on his cup, and it was a moment before he spoke. "She said no..." He shook his head and quickly downed the rest of his wine.

Adrianne reached over to refill his cup. In addition to seducing a married man, Talia had gone so far as to wed someone she didn't have feelings for. Seeing Quintus' anguish in the face of this, Adrianne was more convinced than ever that the woman was corrupt. No decent person would knowingly cause this kind of pain. The blacksmith shook her head. The Dragonborn deserved to suffer. And instead, the whore had gotten exactly what she had wanted.

"Quintus, aren't you angry?" Adrianne asked him. His sorrow was evident, but she expected a man who had been wronged such as he had to be full of resentment as well. She herself certainly was.

"Angry?" he repeated, thoughtful. "I suppose I may have been angry in the beginning. But mostly I feel... empty, I think is the right word to describe it. And confused, Divines... confusion is definitely at the forefront," he answered ruefully.

"But... don't you blame her?" Adrianne ventured. "Isn't she responsible for your pain?"

He gazed at her, considering her words. "She is," he admitted, "but I think I'm also responsible for how I choose to react to that pain. And anger doesn't feel helpful, I suppose."

Adrianne looked at him in disbelief. How could he be so calm about all this? How could he speak of _choosing_ not to be angry, as if such a thing was so easily done?

"How long were you and Talia married, Quintus?" she asked flatly.

He blushed and looked away before answering. "Not long," he admitted. "Little more than a month, truthfully."

Adrianne regarded him levelly. "I was married to Ulfberth for eight years," she said, holding his gaze. "We were happy. We were in love. We worked as a team in everything. He has been at my side through so much... and now he's gone. Because of her," she finished bitterly.

She almost resented the sympathy in Quintus' eyes. She didn't want her rage to be placated. It was all that was driving her; where would she be without it?

She took a long swig of her wine, and as she set down the cup, declared, "The Dragonborn ruined my life," unwilling to sully her tongue with the woman's name.

Quintus reached for her hand, taking it in his own. "That's not true, Adrianne," he began.

"Like hell, it's not!" she shot back, incensed, as she stood and pulled her hand free from his. "Because of what she did, I'm alone, without purpose. And I'm _furious_ about it! How can you _not_ be??" she demanded.

He stood to meet her eyes, his gaze gentle and kind. It only fueled her anger more. "Don't you hate her for what she did to you?" she wailed. "Don't you think she deserves to pay for her crimes?" Adrianne barely noticed the tears that were streaming down her face as she cried, "Because that's all _I_ can think about! I _can't_ move on; I _can't_ find peace! Because of _her!_ "

Quintus gently reached over to place his palms onto her upper arms comfortingly. He gazed at her intently and said, "Adrianne, listen to me. I stand by what I said. Talia didn't ruin your life. Because it's not her life to ruin. She can't."

Adrianne frowned at him, but listened, waiting to hear what else he would say.

"It's terrible what happened to you," he told her. "I understand that more than most. But you don't need to live like this. You can choose to let go of your anger, and keep living. You can prove to Talia and Ulfberth that they didn't break you. That they can't."

Adrianne hiccupped as her silent tears turned into mournful sobs. Quintus gathered her into his arms in a warm embrace, stroking her back comfortingly as she bitterly wept.

"Listen," he told her, "I may have just met you, but I can tell that you're a strong woman. You have that air about you. And you're an Imperial, so I know that you're no fool. So please believe me when I tell you that you _can_ move past this. Because you _must_ if you want to reclaim your life. And you deserve that life, for yourself."

"But _how?_ " she asked through her tears. "It's eating me up inside! All I want is for her to feel the same pain that I feel!"

"Vengeance isn't the way," he assured her. "It won't make you feel better. It'll only leave you with a hollow heart."

Adrianne pulled back to look at his face, and he offered her a timid smile. Releasing her, he gently encouraged her to sit down again, and handed her her cup of wine, which she hastily drank down. Grimacing, she set the empty cup down again.

Quintus sat and pulled his chair closer to hers, taking her hand in his once more. He wore a bemused expression, a hint of a smile on his face.

"You know," he began, "it may be that I need to take my own advice. I may never get the answers I seek, not fully... but I can choose to move on with my life."

"How?" she croaked, wiping at her eyes with her free hand.

He was pensive for a moment, then met her gaze and said, "Through forgiveness."

"Forgiveness?" she barked incredulously. "After what those two did to us, you think we should _forgive_ them?"

He shook his head. "Not for their sake," he clarified, "but for ours. That's how we choose to let go of our pain, by forgiving those who wronged us, whether they deserve it or not."

Adrianne was quiet as she pondered this. "I'm not sure I can..." she softly admitted.

He squeezed her hand again. "I know you can. I believe in you," he assured her sincerely.

Adrianne didn't know what to think. Quintus didn't know her, not truly... but she wanted to believe that what he was saying was possible. She was so filled with hatred; it was like poison in her heart. She didn't know how to be rid of it... but maybe she could find a way, if she tried.

She sighed heavily, her thoughts in turmoil. She found herself admiring Quintus, perhaps even envying him, for his ability to keep a positive outlook in the face of his heartbreak. Idly, she thought Talia a fool for forsaking such a man. His kindness was admirable.

"I suppose I've learned as much as I'm likely to," he began, pulling his hand away. "I'm not sure where that leaves me, but I think I've taken up enough of your time." He reached over to his cup and drained it of its remaining contents. "Thank you for the wine, Adrianne. And thank you for sharing your story with me. You can't know how much I appreciate it."

"I should be the one thanking you, for listening," she answered with a sniffle. "I suppose it's helpful getting feelings like this out in the open."

"There's no need to thank me," he assured her with a warm smile. He then rubbed his hands together briskly and asked about accommodations in the city, noting that he was familiar with an inn, though he couldn't recall the name.

"The Bannered Mare?" she supplied when he mentioned the equine connection in his mind. "That's certainly an option, but The Drunken Huntsman is just across the street. You may as well save yourself the walk."

"Of course. That's perfect," he replied with a smile as he rose from his chair.

Adrianne followed him to her door, a bit wistful that he was leaving and that she would find herself alone once more.

"Quintus..." she told him quietly, "thank you. I'm sorry I got upset like that, but I appreciate your comforting me."

"Don't apologize," he said with a shake of his head. "You're entitled to your pain; I just wanted to help ease it, if I could."

"You did," she assured him, the tears returning to her eyes. Quintus saw her emotion and reached over to embrace her once again.

Adrianne clung to him, thinking how much she had missed hugging a man like this. Of course, her father had been there for her since Ulfberth had left, but that wasn't the same. She needed a friend, she realized, someone who could truly understand what she was going through.

As she pulled back to look at his face, a reckless desperation came over her, and she leaned in to kiss him. Quintus hesitated, but after a moment, he let himself return the gesture. Adrianne's mind was a mass of confusion, but somehow, this felt right. Perhaps it was because they shared a connection through their grief. Or maybe it was the thought that since Talia had taken away Adrianne's husband, then perhaps she could return that favor. The wine may have played a part in it as well. Regardless, she didn't want him to leave.

Pulling back, she met his gaze and quietly asked, "Will you stay?"


	3. Chapter 3

If Quintus hadn't been confused before, he certainly was now. He had only just met Adrianne, and yet here he was following her up the stairs to her bedroom. The thought crossed his mind that he might be taking advantage of her emotional state, but then again, she had initiated things. He'd been unable to stop himself from giving in when she had kissed him, his loneliness disappearing in the face of that gesture. The same drive that had made him travel halfway across the province to chase after answers was now reminding him how good it felt to be with a woman.

As Adrianne pulled him through her bedroom door, his doubts continued to niggle at him. He took her by the shoulders and turned her towards him, meeting her eyes.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked, searching her face. "I can still go stay at the inn, and we can see each other again tomorrow, if you'd like."

"I'm sure," she confirmed, the intensity of her gaze evidence of her resolve. To further prove her point, she insistently pulled him towards her and took his mouth in a deep kiss. Yielding, Quintus took her into his arms, breathing in sharply as a wave of arousal settled into his core. Gods, he needed this, he thought.

His instincts took over as he pushed his concerns away. He began undoing the laces of Adrianne's dress and she softly moaned against his mouth in response. Evidently, she was as eager as he was, which she demonstrated further by pulling away from his lips to hurriedly shed her clothing.

As she undressed, he took a moment to admire her toned arms and shoulders, doubtless the product of long hours at the forge. His eyes were soon drawn to her supple breasts as well, which he couldn't stop himself from reaching out to caress.

She closed her eyes and sighed at his touch, then reached over to pull at his clothes, urging him to disrobe. He eagerly complied and pressed her against him as soon as they both stood nude. A fire was lit within him, and he squeezed her to him while their tongues met. He felt himself growing hard in response to her affections.

Adrianne also noticed, and she pulled back to gaze down at his lengthening manhood. She reached down and took him in hand, eliciting a deep sigh on his part as she began stroking him intently.

"Divines..." he whispered as he lay his head onto her shoulder, his eyes closed. In his sorrow he had often relied on his own hand to bring him some distraction, but the glory of a woman's touch was beyond comparison. Adrianne's hands were skilled, at that.

Running his fingers down her back, Quintus reached down to cup her bottom, and backed her towards the bed. Once they had reached it, she lay down and pulled him atop her. As he settled onto the mattress, she wrapped her legs around his waist, sending another jolt of longing through his loins. He responded by kissing her neck, and she sighed in pleasure as his mouth caressed her skin.

Adrianne grasped his hips in encouragement, her impatience evident, and so he took himself in hand and guided his erection to enter her. She moaned loudly as they came together, and Quintus heard his own voice echoing her passion. _By the Eight_... he thought to himself absently as he began making love to her in earnest.

* * *

Rocking her hips back and forth hurriedly as she sat astride Quintus, Adrianne's cries of ecstasy rang out loudly. His hand was steadfastly caressing between her thighs in just the way she needed, and she was so close... so...

She let out an ardent, throaty cry as her climax rippled through her, leaving her trembling in its wake. Sated, she fell forward onto his heaving chest, gasping to catch her breath.

She sighed, lightly stroking his skin as he caressed her back. She wasn't sure how long they had been at it, but once their fire had been stoked neither of them had been in a hurry for their lovemaking to end. That had been her third climax... or was it the fourth? Either way, she almost wondered whether Quintus had taken a stamina potion before they began. He was an alchemist after all; he would have access, she thought with a chuckle.

"What's so funny?" he asked, amusement in his voice.

"Nothing," she replied. "Just thinking that that was a bit of a marathon. A very pleasant one, at that," she assured him.

"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed yourself as much as I did," he said, giving her shoulder an affectionate squeeze.

She hummed in response, idly curling her fingers in the smattering of reddish hair on his chest. Maybe it was just the post-coital bliss, but she felt more at peace in this moment than she had in weeks. She had never been one to engage in casual sex before, but evidently it was quite therapeutic, and a most pleasant distraction.

"I wonder what they would think, if they knew..." Quintus mused in a low voice. He didn't need to specify who 'they' were for her to understand his meaning.

Adrianne frowned, wishing that he hadn't brought up their former spouses. "To Oblivion with what they would think," she said brusquely. "They have no say in what we do, not anymore."

"Of course," Quintus replied. "What we choose to do with our lives is for us to decide. I suppose... for a moment I wondered whether they would feel betrayed, in turn." She noted the conflicted tone of his voice. "But best not to dwell on it," he concluded.

Adrianne did not share his worry. She almost wished that Talia would somehow find out, on the chance that it would upset her. That would be small recompense for the pain the woman had caused.

Her mood now soured, Adrianne sighed. A thought occurred to her. "Quintus?" she asked in a small voice.

"Yes?"

"Do you ever think about going back to Cyrodiil? After everything that happened, I mean." She continued caressing his chest as she tried to sort out her thoughts. "I'm not sure whether Skyrim holds too many painful memories for me now... I wondered whether you felt the same."

He ran a hand through her long, sandy hair as he pondered. "It has crossed my mind," he confessed, "Especially since I had come here to study under Master Nurelion, and with him gone..."

She propped herself up to meet his eyes. "How long has it been since you came here?" she asked.

"Three years," he answered, "and I learned more about alchemy in those three years than I had in a lifetime before that." He tilted his head and inquired, "What about you?"

She thought it over, mentally calculating. "It's been fifteen years for me," she told him.

"Fifteen?" he echoed in surprise.

"Yes," she replied with a smile. "I was still a slip of a girl, then. Seeing the world for the first time at my father's side."

"Your father brought you to Skyrim?"

"That he did. He's Jarl Balgruuf's steward. An accomplished and well-respected man."

"That's impressive," Quintus responded. "So, he's here in Whiterun as well?"

"He is," she told him, then smiled. "Not many people know this, but for years he's sought my counsel in city affairs. I may be a blacksmith by trade, but I've always had a mind for politics."

"I can't say that surprises me," he admitted with a smirk. "You strike me as a clever woman."

Adrianne grinned at the compliment, a kernel of pride blooming in her chest, but her smile soon faded.

"What is it?" Quintus asked, concerned.

"It's only..." she faltered, then began again. "I told you that I had left my husband for a time. The reason for that was that we had disagreed about that very subject."

"How so?" he prompted, curiosity in his eyes.

"Well, for some time I've had the desire to become more involved in Whiterun's politics. Directly, I mean. But I don't think Ulfberth understood that desire, not completely." She paused, pondering. "We resolved our differences, though, after I came back to him, but..."

"But?" Quintus gently nudged. "What's keeping you from those pursuits now?"

"I... I suppose..." she let out a heavy sigh. "I don't know. I think that, after everything, I've lost the drive to follow that particular path."

He stroked her shoulder gently. "So... you're telling me that your father lives in Whiterun, you have a successful smithing business here, a head for politics and an opportunity to get involved... yet you're considering going back to Cyrodiil? After calling Skyrim home for fifteen years?"

She frowned. "Well, when you put it that way..." she conceded.

"Adrianne," he told her adamantly, "It sounds like you have a life here. And if you truly want to leave, that's for you to decide, but... I hope you're not suggesting running away from your pain. Because that won't help."

"And how do you know that?" she questioned, irked by his implication.

"Because your pain won't stay in Skyrim," he gently replied. "You'll continue to carry it with you as long as you decide to hold onto it."

"As if it's that easy to just forget?" she challenged, her brow furrowed at him. "You speak of forgiveness as a choice, and yet your own pain brought you here to seek me out. Can you heed your own words and forgive the ones who hurt you, or do you only expect me to do that?"

"I get it, Adrianne," he replied soothingly, shaking his head. "I never said it would be easy. I don't expect it to be, for either of us. But I do think we need to _try._ Because, otherwise, we let their betrayal destroy us. And if you truly hate Talia so much, isn't the best revenge to be happy and to go on with your life?"

"That or a knife through the guts..." she murmured acidly.

"Hey," he cautioned her tightly. "None of that now. She may have hurt me, but I cared for her once. Perhaps... perhaps a part of me still does..." he softly confessed.

"I'm sorry," Adrianne offered guiltily. She couldn't put her own loathing of Talia onto Quintus. She wouldn't appreciate him saying the same of Ulfberth, after all. "That was unfair of me."

"I can understand where it came from," he assured her. "But you worry me with that kind of talk. That you'll let that hatred and desire for revenge consume you and take over your life. I don't want that to happen."

"And why should you care about that happening, hmm?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. "I'm practically a stranger to you."

"True," he conceded, "but we've been through something similar, and I think that bonds us somewhat. That and the great sex, of course." He smirked at her.

Adrianne laughed and slapped his shoulder fondly. "It was quite good, wasn't it?" she reflected.

"Gods, Adrianne, it was the best sex I've had in my life!" he declared with a laugh.

 _Well_ , she thought with a smirk, a _t least I have the Dragonbitch beat there._

"In that case," she purred, stroking a circle onto his chest with her fingertip, "how about another round?"

His sharp intake of breath was all the answer she needed, but his _I thought you'd never ask_ as he eagerly wrapped his arms around her waist didn't hurt either.

* * *

Quintus awoke the next morning confused, recognizing as he opened his eyes that he was not in his own bed. He remembered what had happened with Adrianne before he had time to roll over and see her asleep by his side. He smiled at the sight of her. The last thing he had expected when he had set out for Whiterun was to end up sleeping with the woman he had gone to find. He still found it hard to believe.

But sleep together they had, and Quintus was in a better mood today than he had been since the devastation that had accompanied her letter nearly a fortnight ago. Nothing like a night of passion to lift a man's spirits, he thought to himself with a smile.

He was loathe to wake Adrianne from her peaceful slumber, so he slipped out of bed and got dressed. He then padded down to the kitchen, thinking that his lover might appreciate some breakfast when she woke. He decided to make them some simple fare on the cookfire, rooting around the house for ingredients. He found some salt, carrots, and potatoes, but that was hardly a meal on its own, so he kept searching, hoping to find some eggs and perhaps a loaf of bread.

He supposed he could go out and see if there were any food merchants nearby, but he didn't want Adrianne to wake and think that he had gone on his way without saying goodbye. They had shared too much last night for him to be that callous towards her.

He didn't know if what they had had together would turn into something more. It wasn't love, certainly; they barely knew each other, after all. But he hoped they might develop a friendship and stay in touch after today. As much as her last letter had dismayed him, he would be happy to receive word from Adrianne in the future, so that he might know how she was faring.

Quintus had to admit that Adrianne seemed to have been hurt more deeply by her husband's betrayal than he had been by his wife's. It made sense; the two of them had been together much longer than he and Talia had. He couldn't blame her entirely for her feelings of anger and bitterness, not when the affair had gone on under her nose and she had found out about it by walking in to catch her husband and his mistress in the act. Quintus couldn't imagine how crushing that must have been. He was thankful that Adrianne had been considerate enough to write to him, so that he had been forewarned of what was coming, difficult as it had been at the time.

Despite having just met her, he sensed that she was a good woman. Passionate, certainly, in more ways than one, not to mention intelligent and strong-willed. He had faith that, in time, she could put her pain behind her and move on. He would try to help her do just that, and he knew that, in doing so, he would also be helping himself. It was a strange realization, that the best way for him to work through his feelings of loss and betrayal was in supporting Adrianne through hers. It was the least he could do for her; after what they had been through, they both deserved happiness.

Frowning, Quintus continued his search for ingredients. Divines, what did the woman eat? As he reached under the weapon's counter to see if he might find anything of use there, he knocked a sheet of paper from a shelf, which fluttered down to the ground. He bent down to pick it up and put it back where it had been, but he happened to take note of the first line written upon it. Stunned, he kept reading, lifting the page to his face as he rose.

 _By the Eight..._ he thought to himself as his stomach sank in horror.


	4. Chapter 4

Breathing in deeply, Adrianne rolled over in bed as her eyes fluttered open. With a rush of heat to her belly, she remembered the events of the previous night. But where was Quintus now? Curious, she rose and put on her gown, then made her way down to the first floor.

As she stepped down the staircase, she looked over and saw him standing behind the sales counter. A bit incongruous, seeing him in the place where Ulfberth used to spend his days. But Ulfberth was gone, she thought wistfully... and Quintus was here. He had comforted her in her sorrow, and she hoped that she had done the same for him.

Smiling, she greeted him as she approached. "Good morning," she offered, noting too late the look on his face as he stared at a sheet of paper in his hands.

His face pale, Quintus met her gaze levelly, and asked in a flat voice, "What in Oblivion is this?"

Stunned at his tone, she stopped in her tracks. What was wrong? That paper wasn't... _oh_... _oh no_...

He tore his eyes from her and back to the sheet in his hands, then began to read it aloud.

"Sweet Mother, sweet Mother, send your child unto me, for the sins of the unworthy are baptized in blood and fear..." His voice cracked as he finished reading, and his expression was pained as he locked eyes with her again.

"What is the meaning of this, Adrianne?" he demanded.

Panic assailed her as she scrambled for a response. It was exactly what he thought it was.

"I..." she began, and found herself unable to continue.

He waited for her to answer, his eyes boring into hers. Finally, he took a deep breath and asked the question she feared he would.

"Were you planning on sending the Dark Brotherhood after Talia?" His voice was quiet, but its intensity worried her. He seemed so gentle and unassuming, but she didn't know him really... how would he react when she confirmed his suspicions?

"I was only considering it..." she finally whispered.

He looked at her doubtfully, then held up the piece of paper in his hand. "This suggests forethought, Adrianne. I think you more than considered it."

She was caught. Truthfully, she had sought out this information deliberately. She had gone up to Dragonstone, ostensibly to visit her father, and had searched through all of the books in his study until she had found what she was looking for. A copy of _A Kiss, Sweet Mother_ that she remembered having thumbed through years ago, detailing how to summon the Dark Brotherhood using the Black Sacrament. While her father had been otherwise occupied, she had scribbled the instructions onto a sheet of paper and slipped it into her pocket before he could notice.

She hadn't gone any further with preparations than that. What she had told Quintus was true; she hadn't yet committed to it as a course of action. But she had given it serious thought. She had considered murder.

Tears filled her eyes as she struggled to explain. "You don't know how much she hurt me, Quintus. It's constant torture, knowing that she's happy with my husband. My Ulfberth..."

His eyes showed a hint of empathy, but soon turned hard again. "But _murder_ , Adrianne...?"

"I know!" she wailed. "I know what you're going to say. It wouldn't solve anything..."

"You're damned right, that's what I was going to say. Because not only are you thinking about having a woman I cared about killed, but you're also setting yourself up for a lifetime of regret." His tone was resolute as he continued, "I can't let either of those things happen. I won't."

She stiffened her spine and raised her chin, ready to ask how he was proposing to stop her... but deep down, she knew he was right. Her resentment had poisoned her heart and she had considered resorting to assassination out of desperation. That wasn't who she was, not truly.

As her defiance left her, she sank to her knees on the floor, and tears streamed down her face. "Gods, Quintus... what am I supposed to _do?_ " she cried, burying her face in her hands as she wept.

He rushed over and knelt next to her, gathering her into his arms. He gently rocked her back and forth as he caressed her hair, whispering that everything would be alright.

"How?" came her hoarse whisper as she looked up at him through her tears. "How do I make myself forget? How do I move on? How do I forgive?"

He looked at her with sympathy in his eyes, and let out a sigh. "I know it's hard," he offered, "but I need you to remember something." He reached over to push a strand of hair from her face before continuing. " _You_ deserve happiness, Adrianne. And that happiness may not look the same as it did before, with your husband at your side. But you deserve it nonetheless. And it's up to you to make it happen."

He kissed her forehead tenderly, then took both of her shoulders in his hands so that she would look at him. "Murder won't make you happy. It might feel as if removing the person who caused your pain will take the pain away as well, but the damage is already done... and being responsible for someone's death will stay with you forever."

She sniffed and met his gaze, her tears slowing. "You almost sound as if you know from experience..." she quietly observed.

He sighed heavily, and looked away. "In a way I do. Not that I've had someone assassinated, of course," he hastened to clarify, "but as an alchemist I've at times held people's lives in my hands."

He hesitated before continuing, and she could see the anguish in his eyes. "Once, back in Cyrodiil... there was a young woman whose family had sought me out for help. She had fallen ill and was in need of medicine. I was confident in my abilities, having been at the trade for years already... but I misdiagnosed her. And the medicine I gave her only made her worse. She... didn't make it," he finished in a whisper.

"I'm sorry, Quintus..." Adrianne offered sympathetically.

"It was a long time ago..." he softly replied. "But I've never forgotten her. And I regret my choices to this day. So... that's how I know."

Adrianne pondered what he had told her. "How did you move on from that?" she asked quietly.

"I did the only thing I could," he told her, "I resolved to study hard and improve my knowledge and skills... so that I wouldn't make the same mistake again. That was in no small part what convinced me to seek out Master Nurelion's tutelage." A wistful smile touched his lips. "He was a difficult man, but I'm so grateful that he allowed me to apprentice under him."

He looked up at her face, his eyes shining with unshed tears. "And now I dedicate my professional endeavors to that young woman's memory, and tell myself that every person I help with my alchemy brings me one step closer to forgiveness."

"Her family didn't forgive you?" she wondered aloud.

He shook his head. "It wasn't them. They didn't blame me. But I blamed myself... so I'm seeking that forgiveness for my own sake."

She smiled at him sadly and raised a hand to cup his face. "It sounds to me like you've already earned it tenfold."

He returned her smile as he gazed into her eyes. "Thank you, Adrianne... that means a lot to me."

He leaned in towards her and brought his lips to hers in a slow kiss. It was more tender than passionate, and she took it for what it was; a sign of gratitude, comfort, and forgiveness.

Once they had parted, Quintus stood and offered her his hand. She gratefully took it and allowed him to pull her to her feet, then stepped towards him to wrap her arms around his waist and lay her head to his shoulder. He readily surrounded her with his embrace.

"I'm glad you talked me out of it," Adrianne quietly admitted. "It was an idea born of desperation. But I know now that I'm better than that. And your faith in me has shown me that I can put my life back together, if I try."

"I'm so glad to hear that," he told her earnestly. "And if things get hard sometimes and you consider giving up, always remember that I believe in you."

She sighed. "I will. I promise," she replied, her voice full of emotion.

"Good," he responded kindly, tightening his arms around her.

They stood in silence for several long moments, taking comfort in each other's embrace, until Adrianne pulled back to wipe at her eyes.

"Damn you, Quintus..." she muttered with a half-smile. "I never used to cry this much until I met you."

He returned her smile and ran a hand up and down her arm comfortingly. "We could all use a good cry, sometimes," he offered.

"I suppose that's true," she conceded. A thought occurred to her, and she narrowed her eyes at him.

"What were you doing rifling through my things that you found that note anyway?"

He grinned and shook his head. "I had the romantic notion of making you breakfast, but you don't seem to have any _food_ in this house. I looked everywhere!"

She chuckled at hearing of his failed search for sustenance, wistfully telling him, "Ulfberth usually did the cooking. I haven't had the heart to spend much time in the kitchen myself, lately... so I've mostly been having my meals at The Bannered Mare."

"Aaah, that explains it then..." he replied with a smile.

She titled her head at him. "How about we go there for breakfast together? I'm buying."

He grinned at her. "Only if you let me pay for the drinks," he suggested.

"It's a deal," she answered with a wink.


	5. Chapter 5

They spent the rest of the morning sitting together at a table at the inn. They indulged in a far tastier breakfast than Quintus could have made with the sparse ingredients he would have had to work with, so he was glad that Adrianne had suggested coming here. Once the server had brought them their drinks, he lifted his mug to clink it against Adrianne's.

"To our new friendship," he offered with a grin.

"To friendship," she replied, then playfully added, "and sex," with a smirk.

"Yes, we mustn't forget the sex, now, must we?" he answered with a hearty laugh. Thankfully no other patrons were seated near them, or he would surely have been blushing beet-red at her teasing.

They kept their conversation light, neither of them wanting to revisit the dark subjects that they had discussed earlier. He asked about her smithing work and how she had come to the trade, and answered her question in turn about his becoming an alchemist. It was strange to be getting to know a woman after having already slept with her, the reverse order being the norm for him, but he enjoyed the fact that they were already so comfortable in one another's presence. He supposed that having shared both emotional and physical intimacy, it made sense that they should already feel as close as old friends.

"So..." she asked him once their plates were empty, "is it back to Windhelm for you, then?"

"I suppose that's the plan," he admitted. "I can't say that our discussions haven't made me wonder about my future and whether Windhelm is truly the best place for me now... but I think that's something I'm going to have to give more thought to before making a decision."

"I understand," she told him with a crooked smile. "In any case, just know that should you ever find yourself in Whiterun again, you're more than welcome to drop in on me for a visit."

"I'd like that," he offered with a grin. "And likewise, I'd be happy to hear from you if you ever want to write to me in Windhelm. Assuming, of course, that the topic is less tragic than that of your last letter," he finished with a smirk.

Adrianne laughed, shaking her head. "I promise not to reveal any more shocking secrets by courier, rest assured."

They both sighed wistfully, sensing that their time together was nearing its end. Quintus felt as if there was more he wanted to say, to fully express his gratitude to this woman whose pain had helped put his into perspective. They had shared so much in such a short time, and it was hard to define what exactly their relationship now was, but all he knew what that he was glad he had met her. He reached across the table to take her hand in his.

"I'm afraid I should be thinking about heading home..." he said softly, "but I'm finding it hard to say goodbye. It's as if I don't know how, given everything we've just been through."

She squeezed his hand in return. "I know what you mean. I feel that way as well." She offered him a sad smile, then tilted her head mischievously. "Unless... you can spare some time to... let me wish you a proper farewell." Her sly wink told him that her meaning was precisely what he thought it was.

He couldn't help but grin, the heated promise of her suggestion sending a surge of warmth through his belly. "Well, I suppose I can't say no to that," he confessed in a low voice, rising from his chair to follow her as she led him from the inn.

* * *

Some time later, after they had crested the peak of ecstasy together one last time, Adrianne walked Quintus to her door, his satchel on his shoulder and a glint of melancholy in his eyes.

She found she didn't quite have the words to properly thank him for all he had done for her. This time yesterday, she had been overflowing with bitterness and resentment, unable to imagine a version of her life in which she would ever know joy again. But Quintus had changed that. Talking to him had made her realize that she was the one holding herself back from reclaiming her future. Thanks to him, she was now resolved to work hard towards the things she wanted, and to make her own happiness, in whatever was she could.

"Quintus..." she began, "I want you to know that, from today forward, I'm going to devote myself to my civic ambitions. I'm planning to speak to my father this evening, and get started on changing my life in the ways that I wanted to before all of this happened."

He lifted a hand to brush against her cheek, the smile on his lips echoed in his eyes. "I'm glad to hear it," he told her sincerely, then took her into his arms. "I'm proud of you..." he murmured into her hair, and Adrianne felt tears stinging the backs of her eyes.

She held him close, breathing in deeply as she tried to commit the feel of his embrace to memory. She wanted to keep a reminder of his faith in her for whenever things became difficult. She suspected that she still had many hurdles to face, but thanks to him, she was now confident in her ability to overcome them.

Pulling back to look into his eyes, she tried to find the words to express her gratitude.

"You've turned me away from a dark path... and though it was of my own making, I couldn't see past it. I didn't think I had any other option but to continue following it. And I know now that it would have led me to ruin. So... you have my thanks. More than I can say."

To further the sincerity of the sentiment, she leaned in to press her lips to his in a tender kiss, imbuing it with her overwhelming gratitude. Quintus tightened his arms around her, and responded in kind, seeming as if he wanted to savor every moment of this last kiss. She felt the same, and it was with great reluctance that they finally parted.

Quintus took her hand in his and pressed it to his chest. "I'm so glad that I decided to make the trip here and seek you out. I've gained more perspective than I could have imagined, and the fact that we've both now begun the journey towards moving on with our lives is all that I could ask for." He raised her fingers to his lips, then squeezed her hand again. "I'll miss you, Adrianne."

"I'll miss you too," she offered, wrapping her arms around him one last time.

Once they had put off their goodbyes for as long as they could, Quintus finally took his leave of her. After he was gone, Adrianne sat in a chair by the hearth, pensive, and more than a little sad.

Alone once more, she already felt the return of her sorrow as it weighed down on her. But her outlook had changed, and she no longer regarded it as an indomitable foe. After all, she was an Imperial, a blacksmith, adviser to the Jarl's steward, and a citizen of Whiterun. These were the things that defined her, not her sadness, her anger, or her pain. She would let herself feel her sorrow, knowing that it would fade, in time. And until then, she would push herself to follow her ambitions, and to live her life in a way that would make Quintus proud.

Inspired, she went to find a quill, inkpot, and some paper, wanting to jot down some of her ideas for the city before she went to consult with her father. As she did this, she noted that the page where she had written down the instructions for summoning the Dark Brotherhood still sat on the weapon's counter. Without hesitation, she reached for it and crumpled it in her hand, then tossed it into the flames, the edges of the paper curling as it was consumed. She knew she wouldn't need it anymore.

* * *

As the horse-drawn carriage made its way along the cobblestone road, Quintus sat in quiet contemplation. He remembered his anxiety when he had arrived in Whiterun yesterday, and compared it with his current peaceful mood as he now left the city to return to his home in Windhelm.

Though the answers he had found had not been quite the ones he had initially sought, he couldn't be happier with the way things had gone. He had not only realized that it was already within his power to move past the anguish he had felt in the face of losing his wife, but he had gained a meaningful friendship in the process. He had allowed himself to know intimacy from another woman, and it had helped him to remember that Talia was not the only option for him. He had loved her, but her betrayal hadn't broken him, and he knew that one day, he would love again.

More than anything, helping Adrianne come to the same realizations had made the trip to Whiterun well worth taking. The thought that her desperation for vengeance had lead her to contemplate employing an assassin's blade had been a wake-up call for him. He could just as easily have ended up on the same path that she had. But instead, with a little empathy, he had helped her step away from that precipice, and as such, had potentially prevented Talia's murder.

The thought still made his blood run cold, for both women's sake. But now, Adrianne was moving on with her life, and Quintus took great pride in the fact that he had played a part in that. And if Talia was happy with Ulfberth somewhere... well, Quintus found that that thought was less painful than it had been. Besides, she was the Dragonborn, and Skyrim needed her. So, in a way, he had prevented a potential catastrophe. Really, he was a hero.

He chuckled to himself, knowing that that was a massive exaggeration. But still, he couldn't help but feel the tiniest spark of heroism within him when he thought about Adrianne. Perhaps he could allow himself to think that he had saved her heart? And if that made him a hero, it was truly the only sort he would aspire to be.

Sighing, he watched the scenery slowly passing him by as the carriage led him towards his home. Adrianne would be alright, he knew. They both would be.


End file.
